Brake control device



March 9,' 1948. c. EKSERGIAN.

BRAKE CONTROL DEVICE Filed March 12, 1945 MJ 6 Q J g5 1D 3 www n/mn..1 a 1.. v .m 2

INVENTOR Carolus LE ksergtcm 79 1 4 T ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 9, 1948 BRAKE CONTROL DEVICE Carolus L. Ekserglan, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Philadelphia, Pa., a cor- The Budd Company, poration of Pennsylvani Application March 12, 1945, Serial No. 582,345 4 Claims. (Cl. 188-181 The invention relates to a brake control device for preventing wheel slide, of the general class disclosed in Patent No. 2,365,180 for'Brake control means, issued December 19, 1944, and more particularly to a safety device for use therewith.

A safety device of this general class is disclosed and claimed in Patent No. 2,426,575, issued August 26,1947, and entitled Brake control device,

'and is designed to restore the braking entirely to the operators control in the event of malfunctioning of the device for preventing wheel slide, so that the brakes will be available in such event. In the device shown and described in the Patent No. 2,426,575 above referred to, no provision is made for conserving the electrical energy of the source for supplying the control circuits of the system, and if the circuits, through short circuit or other malfunctioning, remain closed for an extended period of time after the cut-out of the anti-wheel slide control, much electrical energy is likely to be used up to no avail.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a control device of this general class in which the electric circuits in the control system are not merely controlled to cut out the control of the brakes by the anti-wheel slide device but all the control circuits of the system are at the same time opened to cut out the source of electrical energy so that no electrical energy is used up by any of the control circuits after their control of the brakes is cut out, due to malfunctioning, and while the malfunctioning persists.

According to one embodiment of the invention the cut-out switch is placed in the circuits which are likely to be held closed an undue length of time due to short circuiting or other malfunctioning and which are energized by a common source of energy, this switch being adapted to be moved to open said circuits upon abnormally prolonged energization thereof due to malfunctioning and thereby also cut out the electrical energy source, means being provided to hold said switch in open position until it is manually reset.

Other and further objects and advantages and the manner in which they are attained will become, apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the single figure ofthe drawings is shown a control system according to the invention.

Such a system may comprise, as shown, a primary control circuit, designated generally by I including the source of electrical energy, as battery I, the cut-out switch, generally designated by 2,. the solenoid 3, and the wheel slip responsive switch 4, all arranged in series therein as shown. Normally this circuit is open at the switch 4, but is designed to be closed upon abnormal deceleration or acceleration of the wheel with which it is associated, such as is occasioned by wheel slip, in the manner fully disclosed and claimed in the above referred to Patent No. 2,365,180.

Immediately upon the closing of the switch 4, the solenoid 3 is energized, and this effects the closing of a quick-closing, delayed opening switch, indicated at 5, such as a delayed-opening mercury switch, this switch being arranged in series in a secondary control circuit, designated generally by II, with the common source of energy, battery I, a solenoid 6, common cut-out switch 2, and a solenoid l.

Solenoid 1 is thus energized while the relay circuit is held closed by the delayed-opening switch 5 and raises the armature 8 against the tension of spring 9 to operate the bell crank lever l0, one arm of which is pivoted to the lower end of the armature and the other arm of which is pivotally connected to a movable valve member H to shift it in the valve casing l2 as to shut oiT the operator-controlled fluid pressure pipe 13 to the brake cylinder l4 and connecting the cylinderto atmosphere through exhaust port I5. I

Thus the fluid pressure in the cylinder is rapid- 1y reduced to stop the wheel slip and is held reduced by the delayed opening of the switch 5 a predetermined time, say, in the neighborhood of one second, which time has beenfound suiiicient to allow the slipping wheel to return to normal speed.

As long as the switches 4 and 5 function normally and are not short-circuited for any reason, which is, of course, most of the time, the control circuits I and II function to protect the braked wheeler wheels from sliding at the called-for braking pressure supplied by the operator-controlled pipe l3.

In normal railway operation, it may happen, however, that one or both of the primary and secondary circuits may be short-circuited for an abnormal predetermined time exceeding the time delay provided by the delayed-opening switch 5, and if this should occur, the cylinder would be exhausted and the operators control cut-01f as long as the short-circuit lasted. Such condition is not only undesirable, but highly dangerous, since the wheel or wheels under the control of the cylinder I4 would then be without brakes.

To prevent such a condition from extending over a long period, a safety device in the form of cut-out switch 2 is provided. Thiscut-out switch operated to open position, to thereby avoid the neighborhood the cut-out switch will be.

undesirable and dangerouscondition or; no

brakes above referred to.

As shown, the switch 2 may comprise a pivoted arm l6 biased to its closed'oropen position i by a tensile spring I6, the axis of which passes from one side to the other of the pivot :of the arm l6 When the arm ismoved from closed to open positionor vice versa. switchar-mJB isshownheld inthe full line closed position and is indicated in the open position by tt d l n s a sufficient; distance,-- the;-, spring automatically snaps it over. to, the, dotted line Open position and holds it there,-

Theiswitcht a l 5 carries electrically inter- In the drawingv the If the arm is moved to the right I connected-pairs @of- --contacts J1, l1 and l8, l8

which engage ;-the, 1 respective arcuate terminal contacts] 9-, l 9 -of; the primary circuit I and 2c, 2% of the secondary circuit 11, and thusclose these circuits ;while,the contacts carried; by the arm are, in; engagement with sai'd arcuate terminal contacts. To'take care of; the greater are of movement of the arm at points further removed fromitspivot thearcuate contacts are made of greater-lengththe vfurther they are removed from the-pivot of thearm.

To move the switch;' arm :I 6 efrom closed to open -,posi tion, use made of; a movable.- plunger 7 2! extending through a s1ot-22 in the arm and having a head, ziidengag ng ,the left-hand side of the arm;; Thesmovement of this plunger toward. the right toopen the switch} is delayed by a suitable delay ,action device, :such as the dash pct 24 having -a piston- 25 "connected to the plunger 20 movable therein,-,and filled with a fluid the movement ot-whichirom one side of the piston to the pass -26.having; an adjustable pointed-l therein to control the size;- of the by-pass orifice and vary the actiorrof tl1e: ash.pot.-

The means for movmg the plunger to switch openingposition'may comprise a lever28 pivoted intermediate its ends at, :29 andhav-ing its lower rounded ,end located-between spaced shoulders 30;,on the plungerjta The upper arm of the lever is.pivotally connected to a sleeve 3! slidable on a second, plunger. 32,:this sleeve being urged by a spring 33, having its opposite ends bearing, respectively, on the-sleeve and -,on anabutment 34 at .the ,right .hand .end of the plunger, I against an abutment 35won thetplungera Theleft-hand end of thelplungerforms an armature extending into the solenoid 16 inthe' secondary circuit 11. A return spring-A6 ofless, strength than the spring 33 returns; the plunger to the left when the spring -331s not in-tension, i. e., when the solenoid 6 is ,deenergized.

At each closing-, -otthesecondary circuit II, the spring 33 is tensioned bymovement of the armature and plunger-32-tothe left into the; solenoid 6, but in normal ,operation the-secondary circuit is opened at, thecswitcnj before theidash. p t

other is controlled by a byvalve 2! controlled plunger has moved appreciably in its switch opening movement. After each such normal closing and opening of the secondary circuit, the plunger 20 is returned to its position shown in Fig. 1 by the return spring 36.

If, however, the secondary circuit 111 is held closed an abnormally long time, appreciably longer than the normal delayed opening of the switch 5, the switch arm I6 is moved by the plunger 2E toward its open position until the contacts ll, H and l8, l8 thereon are about to leave the terminal arcuate contacts l9, l9 and 20, 20 and at this time the spring It takes control and quickly snaps the arm to the full open position shownin dotted lines. Thus both the primary and secondary circuits are simultaneously opened and the cylinder control thereof is cut out as well as the common source of electrical energy l supplying these circuits. The brake cylinder is thus restored to the operators control to apply the brakes as he sees fit and while theacontrol circuits are-so rendered inoperative, no current.

from the battery is being wasted."

give a signal in the operators cab when the cut,- out occurs.

moved to its dotted line out signal he may the closed position shown infull 1ines. -in-..-the

figure, after which the wheel slide protecting sys tern will again be cut in.

parting to be covered by the appended claims.-

What is claimed is:

1. In a brake control device, a brake cylinder having means for supplying it with pressure fluid:

under an operators control, means responsive to wheel siip for reducing the brake cylinder pressure to prevent the energy and primary and secondary circuits in-v cluding said source, the primary circuit being...

adapted to be closed incident to wheel slip, means actuated by the closing of said primary circuit to close said secondary circuit and to holdjlt closed said predetermined time, safety means comprising a cut-out switch, operative to open both said circuits, means for delaying the opening or said switch after the closure of said secondary circuit for a period appreciably longer than said predetermined time, and means for holding said cut-cut switch open with the wheel slip responsive means rendered inoperative to control the-brakecylinder pressure until the cut-out switch is manually restored to closed position at any time To this end the arm-26 may be utie lized to close a switch 3'! in a third circuit desig-, hated III, including in series the battery "I and, a signal device, as a lamp 38, this. third circuitrz being closed at switch 31 when the arm Ilia-ls;v out position. The.

lamp apprises the operator of the condition-zofr.

the control circuits, andzafter noticing the; signs-1, :v he may then open the lamp circuitat a switch as provided for this purpose. Having notedlthet' then control the brakes just ass-if no wheel slide protection were provided. Whenthe train is stopped, the malfunctioning ,condition in the control circuits may be corrected and! the cut out switch 2 is then manually moved to:

wheel from reaching. a sliding state. and holding said pressure reduced 2, predetermined time sufficient to allow the wheel to regain substantiallyits normal speed afterslipping said, means includinga common source of electrical.

after the condition that caused the prolonged closure of the secondary circuit has been corrected.

2. In a brake control device, a brake cylinder having means for supplying it with pressure fluid under an operators control, means responsive to wheel slip for reducing the brake cylinder pressure to prevent the wheel from reaching a sliding state and holding said pressure reduced a predetermined time suflicient to allow the wheel to regain substantially its normal speed after slipping, said means including a source of electrical energy and primary and secondary circuits each including said source, the primary circuit being adapted to be closed incident to wheel slip, means actuated by the closing of said primary circuit to close said secondary circuit and hold it closed a predetermined time, safety means comprising a cut-out switch operative to open at least said secondary circuit, means for delaying the opening of said switch after the closure of said secondary circuit for a period appreciably longer than said predetermined time, as in the case of a short circuiting of either of said circuits, and means for holding the cut-out switch open with the wheel slip responsive means rendered inoperative to control the brake cylinder pressure, said wheel slip responsive means being restorable to operative condition by th closure of the out out switch at any time after the condition that caused the prolonged closure of the secondary circuit has been corrected.

3. In a brake control device, a brake cylinder having means for supplying it with pressure fluid under an operators control, means responsive to wheel slip for reducing the brake cylinder pressure to prevent the wheel from reaching a sliding state and holding said pressure reduced a predetermined time sufl'icient to allow the wheel to regain substantially its normal speed after slipping, said means including a source of electrical energy and primary and secondary circuits each including said source, the primary circuit being adapted to be closed incident to wheel slip, means actuated by the closing of said primary circuit to close said secondary circuit and hold it closed a predetermined time, safety means comprising a cut-out switch operative to open at least one of said circuits, means for delaying the opening of said one of said circuits for a period appreciably longer than said predetermined time, as in the event of a short circuiting of either of said circuits, and means for holding the cut-out switch open with the Wheel slip responsive means rendered inoperative to control the brake cylinder pressure, said wheel slip responsive means being restorable to operative condition by the closure of the cut-out switch at any time after the condition that caused the prolonged closure of the secondary circuit has been corrected.

4. In a brake control device, a brake cylinder having means for supplying it with pressure fluid under an operators control, means responsive to wheel slip for reducing the brake cylinder pressure to prevent the wheel from reaching a sliding state and holding said pressure reduced a predetermined time suflicient to allow the wheel to regain substantially its normal speed after slipping, said means'including a source of electrical energy and primary and secondary circuits each including said source, the primary circuit being adapted to be closed incident to wheel slip, means actuated by the closing of said primary circuit to close said secondary circuit and maintain it closed a predetermined time, safety means comprising a cut-out switch operative to open at least one of said circuits, means for delaying the opening of said one ofsaid circuits for a period appreciably longer than said predetermined time as in the event of a short circuiting of either of said circuits, and means for holding said cut-out switch open with the wheel slip responsive means ren- Number dered inoperative to control the brake cylinder pressure, and a signal circuit including a signal device energized by the opening of said cut-out switch to notify the operator of the condition of the wheel slip responsive means.

CAROLUS L. EKSERGIAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Bush May 5, 1936 Farmer Apr. 23, 1940 Wilson Feb. 25, 1941 

